Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-07-10

father should sell his own child into
slsyery?-thas q father of the land should
barter away its freedom? Therefore on
this point, too, does Justice temper mercy"
THAT is So" said the chorus with par
ticular enthusiasm, most Of them having
themselves been instrumental in bringing
the annexation about.
Then one more thing: this man has a
niece, and il is the care Of all good men to
see that the young should not be left desti-
tute and friendless, lest they should grow
up bad and become enemies to the we'll
being Of the state. But in this case that
will net be 80, for the farm win 90 to the
girl by law; and, indeed, she will be well
rid of so desperate and goddess an old
"And now, having set my reasons To-
wards one side and the other before you,
and having warned you fully to act each
man according to his conscience, / give my
vote. 1t is"--and in the midst of the most
intense silence be paused and looked at old
Silas, who never even ~quailed-"1t Is
death."
There was q little hum of conversation,
and poor Bessie, surveying the scene
through the crack in the store-room wall,
groaned in bitterness and despair OF heart
Then Hans Coetzee spoke. IL cut his
bosom in two, he said. TO have to say a
word against one to whom be had for many
years been as brother. But, then, what
was he to dor The man had plotted evil
against their land, the dear land that the
dear Lord had given them, and which they
and their fathers had on various occasions
watered, and were still continuing TO
water, with their blood. What could be
q fitting punishment for 70 black-hearted
q traitor, and how would il be possible to
insure the better behavior Of other ID
Englishmen, unless they infiict that punish
ment? There could, alas! be but one
answer-though, personally speaking, be
uttered il with many tears-and d q
answer was death.
After this there were nc more speeches,
but each man voted according to his age,
upon his name being called by the presi-
dent. At first there was q little hesitation,
for some among them were fondof old
Silas, and loath TO destroy him. But
Frank Muller had played his game very
well, and, Notwithstanding his appeals to
their independence Of judgment, they
knew full surely what would happen to
him who gave his vote against the presl-
dent. So they swallowed their better
feelings with all the ease for which such
swallowing Is noted, and IN by n ut
tered the fatal word.
When they had all done Frank Muller
addressed Silas:
Prisoner, You have heard the Judgment
against you. 1 need not now recapitulate
your crimes. You have had q fair and
open trial by court-martial, such rs our
law directs Have you anything to say
why sentence ofdeath should not be passed
upon you, in accordance with the judg-
ment?' .-...
Old Silas looked up with flashing eyes,
and shook back his fringe of white hair
like o lion at bay.
II nave nothing to say. II you will do
murder, do it, blaek-hearted villain that
you are! | might point to my gray hairs,
10 my murdered servant, to my home that
took me- ten years to build, destroyed By
youl 1 might tell you how | have been
a good citizen and lived peaeeably and
neighborly in the land for more than
twenty years-ay, and done kindness after
kindness to many of you who are going to
murder me in cold blood! But l will not.
Shoot me if you will, and may my death
lie heavy on your heads. This morning l
would have said that my country would
ayeuge me-; / cannot say that now, for
England has deserted US and / have no
country. Therefore | leave the vengeance
in the hands of God, who never fails to
avenge, though sometimes he waits for
long TO do it. / am not afraid of you.
Shoot me now if you like. l have lost my
honor, my home, and my country; why
should / not lose my life also?'
Frank Muller fixed his cold eyes upon
the old mans quivering face and smiled a
dreadful smile OF triumph.
Prisoner, it is now my duty, in the
name of God and the republic, 10 sentence
you to be shot tomorrow at dawn, and
may the Almighty forgive you your wicked
neSs and have mercy upon your soul.